How Much Does a Notary Public Cost in Singapore?

Unlike most legal services, notary public fees in Singapore are not something you negotiate or compare between firms in the usual sense, since they are fixed by law. This guide explains exactly what a notary public costs, and where the genuine cost variation actually comes from.

Notary Fees Are Set by Statute, Not the Market

This is the single most important thing to understand about notary costs in Singapore. Notary Public fees are prescribed under the Notaries Public Rules, meaning the core rate for any given notarial service is, by law, the same regardless of which notary you use. Discounts and waivers on these prescribed rates are simply not possible, which makes this genuinely different from most other legal services where fees vary considerably between firms.

The Notarial Certificate Fee

Every notarial act requires the Notary Public to issue a Notarial Certificate, which carries a prescribed fee of seventy-five dollars for the first person involved, with an additional twenty dollars for a second party and ten dollars for each further party covered by the same certificate.

The Mandatory Apostille Fee

Since notarised documents intended for overseas use require authentication by the Singapore Academy of Law through an Apostille, this is a further mandatory cost, currently eighty dollars plus nine percent GST, bringing the total Apostille fee to around eighty-seven dollars and twenty cents. This fee is paid by the notary on your behalf to the Singapore Academy of Law and is not something the notary retains as their own income.

Certified True Copy Fees

If you need a certified true copy of a document, such as a passport or academic transcript, for use overseas, this involves its own prescribed fee for the first page, with a reduced rate for each subsequent page of the same document, plus the Notarial Certificate and Apostille fees discussed above.

A Realistic Total Cost Example

To illustrate how these individual fees combine, a single-page certified true copy of a passport for overseas use commonly totals around one hundred and seventy dollars, once the certified true copy fee, the Notarial Certificate fee, and the mandatory Apostille fee are all added together.

Witnessing Fees for Overseas-Bound Documents

If you need a document witnessed by a Notary Public specifically for overseas use, such as a power of attorney or a commercial agreement, this involves the notarial execution fee, the Notarial Certificate fee, and the Apostille fee combined, commonly totalling around two hundred dollars for a single signatory, with additional charges if more than one party needs to sign.

Why Costs Differ Slightly Between Providers Despite Fixed Rates

Given the underlying statutory rates are fixed, the genuine differences between notary providers come from a small number of specific factors: whether the provider is GST-registered, since some smaller practices are not, additional administrative or handling charges layered on top of the statutory fees, and charges for extra services such as translation, on-site notarisation, or document courier and collection arrangements.

Commissioner for Oaths Fees Are Different and Cheaper

It is worth distinguishing notary services from a Commissioner for Oaths, who handles documents intended for use within Singapore, such as statutory declarations and affidavits, rather than documents going overseas. Commissioner for Oaths fees are charged per occasion rather than per page, commonly twenty-five dollars for the first document and ten dollars for each additional document signed at the same appointment, and do not require the Apostille process at all.

Direct e-Apostille for Certain Documents

For specific documents, such as those issued by ACRA, a direct e-Apostille can sometimes be obtained straight from the Singapore Academy of Law without needing a Notary Public at all, at a lower cost of around ten dollars plus GST, provided the overseas recipient is willing to accept this electronic format.

Cost-Saving Tips Worth Knowing

If you have multiple certified true copy documents needing authentication, bundling them under a single Notarial Certificate, where the overseas recipient accepts this bundled approach, can meaningfully reduce your overall cost compared to obtaining a separate certificate for each individual document. This bundling option is generally only available for certified true copies, not for documents requiring witnessing.

Why Understanding These Distinctions Prevents Unnecessary Spending

A genuinely common, avoidable expense comes from people arranging full notarisation and Apostille when a simpler Commissioner for Oaths service or a direct e-Apostille would have been entirely sufficient for their actual purpose. Taking a moment to understand which specific service your situation genuinely requires, rather than defaulting to the most comprehensive option, is one of the simplest ways to avoid paying for authentication you did not actually need.

Planning Ahead for Time-Sensitive Documents

If your notarised document is needed for a specific deadline, such as a university application or a property transaction closing date, plan for the full process, including any embassy authentication if required, well in advance. Rushing this process at the last minute sometimes means paying a premium for expedited handling, on top of the standard statutory fees that remain fixed regardless of how quickly you need the work completed, so building in a reasonable buffer before any hard deadline is always worthwhile.

Why Confirming Requirements With the Overseas Recipient First Genuinely Saves Money

Before arranging any notarisation, it is worth confirming exactly what the overseas recipient, whether a foreign university, government agency, or business counterpart, actually requires, including whether they will accept a bundled certificate or an e-Apostille. Arranging notarisation first and only discovering afterward that the format does not meet the recipient’s specific requirements means paying for the process again, which is an entirely avoidable additional cost with a bit of upfront confirmation.

Additional Costs for Embassy or Consular Authentication

For certain countries, notarisation and Apostille alone are not sufficient, and further authentication by that country’s embassy or consulate in Singapore is also required. This additional step involves its own separate embassy charges, which vary by country, plus any process agent fee a notary firm charges for coordinating this extra step on your behalf, commonly starting from around one hundred and fifty dollars per set of documents.

Documents Needed for Both Local and Overseas Use

If you need a document for both local and overseas purposes, it is worth understanding that only the overseas-bound copies genuinely require the Apostille step. Clarifying with your notary exactly which specific copies need this additional authentication, versus which are only ever going to be used within Singapore, can help you avoid paying for Apostille authentication on copies that never actually needed it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I negotiate a lower fee with a Notary Public given how straightforward some notarial services are?

No, since these fees are fixed by law under the Notaries Public Rules, negotiation is not possible for the statutory portion of the fee, though it is worth comparing any additional administrative charges different providers add on top.

Does the Apostille fee apply even if my document is only going to be used within Singapore?

No, the Apostille is specifically required for documents intended for overseas use, so a document that will only ever be used within Singapore generally does not require this additional authentication step.

How long does it typically take to get a document notarised and apostilled in Singapore?

This varies by provider and document complexity, though straightforward notarisation and apostille can often be completed within a day or two, while more complex documents or those requiring additional embassy authentication can take considerably longer.

Can a Notary Public help if my document also needs authentication by a foreign embassy in Singapore?

Some notary providers offer additional process agent services to help coordinate embassy authentication, which involves its own separate, additional fee beyond the standard notarial and Apostille charges.

Do online or e-Apostille documents cost less than physical notarisation and Apostille?

Where a direct e-Apostille is available and accepted by the overseas recipient, this route is generally cheaper than the full physical notarisation and Apostille process, since it bypasses the need for a Notary Public entirely for eligible document types.